Illustration by Jett Le
Cyberbullying detection strengthens online security
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Over the last decade, digital technology has boomed unlike any other form of technology that precede it. This development, however, has not been one without consequence, as it gave rise to cyberbullying—bullying through digital means. Since the beginning of cyberbullying, very little organizations have developed means that strictly focus on detecting cyberbullying online, causing suffering to those who fall victim to it. In addition to mental health preservation, creating some form of cyberbullying detection is essential to maintaining order in society, both online and in reality.
Cyberbullying has become the most common form of abuse compared to others due to the fact that the world basically runs on technology. In fact, about half of young people have experienced some form of cyberbullying. Today, over 80% use a cell phone regularly, making them a common medium for online offense. The common ground for bullying is that it has negative effects on the afflicted, like low self-esteem and a feeling of insecurity. If left unchecked, these effects eventually lead to deteriorating mental health. The extent to which cyberbullying can harm someone is what prompts the dire need for devoted cyberbullying tracking.
On the Internet, people are able to perform tasks without being caught by utilizing aliases and virtual private networks (VPN). Creating fake identities is relatively simple, but those who do are typically tracked down more quickly. A VPN, however, makes it harder, as it connects one’s device to a computer, or server, somewhere on the Internet and enables one to use that computer’s connection. These connected servers can be anywhere around the world, which masks a user’s true location. This poses a dilemma for authorities when attempting to punish the violators, which highlights the demand for means by which the true identities of the cyberbullies can be exposed. Only by recognizing them can the problem truly be resolved.
Admittedly, in order to minimize cyberbullying, a major investment of time and money will be required. Some may say that pouring money and time into achieving this goal will be for nothing and should be used towards fulfilling another societal objective. This is intolerable in that if cyberbullying is allowed to roam free without consequence, people will be living in a stagnant society, constantly solving violence through more violence.
